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Trump and Putin shook hands on red carpet ahead of high-stakes Ukraine meeting before getting into the back of “the Beast,” the official presidential limousine
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The summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is now underway in Anchorage, Alaska — their first one-on-one meeting in seven years.
The two leaders greeted each other on a red carpet set between Air Force fighter jets at the end of a long red carpet. After shaking hands, they both got into the back of “The Beast,” the U.S. president’s limousine.
Russian and U.S. delegations began arriving in the city on Friday, with Trump posting on Truth Social en route a blunt two-word warning: “HIGH STAKES!!!”
Meanwhile, Russia’s veteran Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, was spotted in Anchorage wearing a vintage Soviet sweatshirt. He told reporters Moscow “never plans ahead” – a remark that added to the uncertainty surrounding the talks.
Trump has vowed that the Russian president is “not going to mess around with me” as he attempts to secure a ceasefire deal. He also floated the possibility of bringing in European leaders, including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, for a second round of negotiations.
The White House said Friday’s amended schedule consists of a three-on-three meeting between the two delegations, a bilateral lunch and an expanded meeting, and a joint press conference.
Hillary Clinton said she would nominate President Donald Trump for his long-awaited Nobel Peace Prize if he could broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine that did not “capitulate” to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Clinton, the former secretary of state who once ran a campaign against Trump, issued her bold declaration on the Raging Moderates podcast to incentivize the president not to give in to Putin’s demands.
Ariana Baio has the story.
Bianca Nobilo, a fellow in communication science, who specialised in the nonverbal communication of world leaders, gave her take on the meeting of President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin:
In the early glimpses of their Alaska meeting Trump and Putin displayed a predictable asymmetry rooted in their baseline behaviours. Trump, usually known for high-energy dominance displays, adopted a slower, more stoic presence- intentionally projecting maturity and seniority- yet interrupted this by applauding Putin’s arrival, a rare gesture of public affirmation. In evolutionary terms, such applause functions as a costly social signal, akin to a primate alpha momentarily lowering dominance to reinforce alliance.
We saw Putin maintain an extra-wide leg plant while sitting next to Trump, degrees further than his standard. This mirrors mammalian dominance postures like gorilla chest beating or a lion’s broad stance. Putin noticeably departed from his typically minimal facial and gestural output. His heightened animation suggested deliberate rapport-building, the diplomatic equivalent of a powerful male investing visible effort to charm an equal. Together, these shifts reveal at the outset of this meeting… before the hard part begins… two political alphas calibrating their signals to convey both strength and cooperation.
President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, greeting the leader warmly before they made the unusual move of departing together in the U.S. president’s limousine.
At the historic meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine, the two leaders greeted one another like old friends as they shook hands and patted each other’s backs on an actual red carpet laid out on the tarmac for the historic meeting at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage.
Trump, who exited Air Force One moments ahead of Putin’s deplaning, appeared excited by his Russian counterpart’s arrival, clapping as the strongman leader walked toward him.
Putin then appeared to give Trump a thumbs-up.
Rhian Lubin reports.
Amid recent low poll numbers, President Donald Trump is likely hoping that being perceived as a statesman on the world stage will revive his fortunes domestically.
It’s unclear whether he will get his wish.
Here’s more from Rachel Dobkin on Trump’s poor polling:
President Donald Trump has insisted Russian President Vladimir Putin was “not going to mess around with me” ahead of the first meeting between the two leaders since 2018, saying he thinks both “will make peace.”
On Thursday, Putin praised Trump’s “sincere efforts” towards ending the war in Ukraine, telling Kremlin officials the U.S. is making “quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the fighting.”
As the historic meeting is underway, here’s what we believe can be expected from the summit:
President Donald Trump’s political team sent a fundraising email during his private meeting with top aides and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The message stated: “I’m meeting with Putin in Alaska!”
It added, “It’s a little chilly,” and claimed, “THIS MEETING IS VERY HIGH STAKES for the world.”
“No one in the world knows how to make deals like me!” Donations were encouraged, starting at $10.
Reporters are holding in a tent adjacent to the room where the joint press conference is set to take place.
That room features two podiums, two sets of Russian and American flags, and a blue backdrop that says “Pursuing Peace.”
White House pool reporters do not expect any additional movements before the press conference, but will send updates if there are any changes.
The print pooler reports that it was just President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin riding in “the Beast” official limousine earlier for the drive from the tarmac to the meeting site.
President Donald Trump has reiterated his strong desire for a ceasefire in Ukraine, indicating he would not be “happy” if he left today’s meeting without one.
Speaking to Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier aboard Air Force One en route to Alaska, Trump said his primary goal was to secure a halt to hostilities. He also expressed a wish for a second meeting on Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“I wouldn’t be thrilled if I didn’t get it,” he said of a ceasefire, noting that he had been told a resolution might not be achievable until a subsequent encounter. “I won’t be happy if I walk away without some form of a ceasefire,” he reiterated.
Earlier, a clip shows Trump saying if today’s meeting doesn’t work out well, he would “head back home real fast.”
Separately, Trump joked he “may have to start liking” Hillary Clinton again.
This came after Clinton, the former secretary of state, suggested she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize if he negotiated an end to the war without Ukraine ceding territory.
“Well, that was very nice,” Trump commented on her remarks. The two were presidential rivals in 2016 with a contentious relationship.
Trump has previously been upfront about wanting the Nobel Peace Prize.
The full Fox News interview is set to air later on Friday.
With reporting from the AP
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